Fourth Master naturally agreed to Yan Yu's request. After having breakfast with the two sisters, he was thinking about Lan Qin, so he made up an excuse to leave.
Watching the Fourth Master's back with his hands behind his back, Yan Yu's eyes flashed with a light, and she couldn't help but ask, "Sister, that Niu Shi seems to be very much favored by your husband! She didn't seem to eat much for breakfast."
The Fujin waved her hand, signaling Chunliu and the others to clear away the breakfast. She picked up a handkerchief, pursed her lips, and slowly said, "Speaking of which, this Lady Niu was a candidate for the imperial concubines in the same year as you. Now she is so favored by your brother-in-law, and what about you? No wonder Father has repeatedly written to me, asking me to find you a good husband. But I see you are still as unruly and disrespectful as before. How am I supposed to find you a good family?"
Yan Yu knew that her elder sister valued etiquette and manners the most. Seeing how seriously she spoke, she realized that her intimate behavior with the Fourth Prince must have displeased her. She pouted, took the Fujin's hand, and said aggrievedly, "Sister, Yu'er won't do it again next time. But I don't think brother-in-law seems to care."
The princess glanced at her and said, "You're a fifteen-year-old young lady now, you can't be as willful and mischievous as you were when you were a child. Your brother-in-law is a man who values rules and etiquette the most. He may not say it to his face, but how do you know what he's really thinking!"
Although Yan Yu was only fifteen years old, she was adept at reading people's expressions. Seeing that the Fujin (principal wife) had indeed turned cold and was speaking, she knew that the Fujin was truly angry about her rudeness. So she immediately said, "Sister's reprimand is absolutely right! I know I was wrong. Sister, Niohuru is deeply favored by brother-in-law. If she gives birth to a prince, wouldn't that pose a great threat to the eldest prince?"
It must be said that Ulanara Yanyu was also good at reading people's expressions. When she saw that the Fujin was scolding her for something she didn't do, she immediately changed her mind and shifted the topic to Lanqin, so as not to let the Fujin keep focusing on her.
Sure enough, upon hearing this, the Princess Consort sighed softly and said with a hint of sorrow, "Sister is getting old and has already given birth to the First Prince, so naturally her appearance cannot compare to that of the young princess who just entered the manor." After saying this, she couldn't help but raise her hand to stroke her dignified profile.
Yan Yu immediately said, "Sister doesn't look old at all. It must be that Niu Shi used some kind of seductive trick to bewitch brother-in-law into getting close to her."
Hearing this, the Fujin (principal wife) was naturally pleased, for she herself felt the same way. She always blamed the Fourth Prince for never trying to understand her, unaware that she herself had never truly tried to understand him. But how could the Fujin possibly face or reflect on this reality?
Seeing that the Fujin remained silent, Yan Yu knew that her words had hit the nail on the head, so she immediately said in a flattering tone, "Sister, for the sake of the eldest prince, we must find a way to win back your husband's heart."
Granny Li was carrying in a tray with two cups of tea. When she saw Yan Yu say this, she glanced at her and placed the tray in front of them.
The princess took the tea from the cup that Li Mama brought her, picked up the lid, smoothed out the floating tea leaves, and said softly, "Does my sister have some ideas?"
Yan Yu took the tea from Li Mama and said with a flicker in her eyes, "I just think that you should think of a way to prevent a little princess from putting you in a difficult position. As for what ideas you have, I haven't thought of any yet."
After saying that, she drank her tea by herself, concealing the strange look in her eyes. After the two sisters finished their tea, Yan Yu said she wanted to stroll in the garden, so she took her maid and went out.
"Does Granny have something to say?" The Fujin looked at Granny Li's departing figure as she watched Yan Yu leave, touched her gold-embroidered sleeve, and asked in a low voice.
"Princess, it seems that Ninth Princess's heart has turned to Master." The "Ninth Princess" that Granny Li was referring to was indeed Yan Yu. She was the ninth child in the Ulanara family, hence the name Ninth Princess.
"Even the old nanny noticed. This girl still can't hide her true feelings. She thinks she's hiding them so well, but she's been seen through long ago." A sharp glint flashed in the Fujin's eyes. Although Yan Yu was her own sister, she dared to openly express her feelings for the Fourth Prince in front of her, and even claimed to be worried about her, her older sister.
“Princess, Master has asked you many times to find a husband for Ninth Princess. In my opinion, you should ask Master to take a look as soon as possible. If there is a suitable one, you should send her back as soon as possible. I think Ninth Princess might cause some trouble,” said Granny Li.
"Where can we find a suitable place right now? How's it going over there?" The "over there" that the Fujin was referring to was naturally Lanqin's side.
“She took the medicine last night, and she’s probably already passed away,” said Granny Li, her gaze sharpening as she addressed the Fujin.
“She’s still young. Even if she doesn’t get pregnant this time, she can still get pregnant next time, given how much the Fourth Prince favors her.” The Fujin raised her hand, looking at the pointed nail guards, the pure gold-orange color of which shone with a dazzling light.
“The Yin family has passed away, the Song family is no longer coming, and there is also a Geng family and a Wang family.” Granny Li carefully sorted through the princesses in the backyard. “It seems that the Wu family has discovered the secret of the string of beads that the Fujin gave her, and hasn’t come to the main courtyard to pay her respects for a long time.”
"Now that I've lost face in front of the Fourth Prince, they all look down on me." The Princess gently blew on her nail guards, then picked up a handkerchief and carefully wiped away the tiny specks of dust.
“Princess, this old servant has an idea, I wonder if you would agree?” Granny Li walked to the door and looked at the maids working in the courtyard.
"Please speak freely, Granny. Is there still any possibility between us?" the Fujin said. If she were to ask who she trusted most at this moment, it would undoubtedly be Granny Li, who had been by her side for over twenty years and had taken care of her since birth.
"This old servant thinks that you might as well let Yan Yu help you out. After all, she is your own sister. As long as she can gain the master's favor, then the eldest prince's position will be stable." Li Mama did not want to use this method to help the princess secure her favor, but what other choice did she have at this moment? The princess could no longer gain the fourth prince's favor.
The Fujin glanced at Li Mama, a slight bitterness welling up inside her, but she understood that the idea was feasible. After all, the best way was to use another girl from the Ulanara family to win over the Fourth Prince's heart, at least to prevent his favor from falling into the wrong hands. Moreover, Yan Yu had been favored by the Fourth Prince since childhood, and now she was in the prime of her youth, with her father repeatedly urging her to find him a good family. Who could be more prestigious than the Fourth Prince's household?
"Let me think about it. But Yan Yu has been quite cunning since she was little. If we let her into the manor, I'm afraid it won't be long before she starts to disregard me, her older sister," the Fujin said.
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